What is marine snow- marine snow is a shower of material falling from the upper water to the deep ocean. Marine snow is composed of decayed plants and animals that were at or near the surface of the water. The snow is also made of feces, sand, and soot. It is called marine snow because it is small, white, and fluffy. It can take several weeks before the snow even reaches the ocean floor. The bigger the marine snow the quicker it moves. It has been shown that pathogens and microorganisms also live on marine snow. Scientist study marine flow by using sediment traps. Traps are set up at 200 meters down. It is shown that about 815 million tons of carbon hits the ocean floor every year. What does Marine snow do- This snow is a source of food for deep sea creatures. It is an important source of energy for sea life. 95 percent of the particles are eaten. The NAOO discovered that there is more than enough carbon and nitrogen to feed the sea creatures. Vampire squid find marine snow by a special adaption that helps locate the falling snow. The snow is also good for small animals like eel larvae until they are four months. What is not used turns into muddy ooze that cover the ocean floor. Marine snow also helps the understanding of mitigating global warming. If the snow wasn’t filtered through the ocean carbon would stay in the atmosphere and cause temperatures to rise.
Sources NAOO. "Marine Snow Is a Shower of Organic Material Falling from Upper Waters to the Deep Ocean." What Is Marine Snow? N.p., 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marinesnow.html>.
What is marine snow- marine snow is a shower of material falling from the upper water to the deep ocean. Marine snow is composed of decayed plants and animals that were at or near the surface of the water. The snow is also made of feces, sand, and soot. It is called marine snow because it is small, white, and fluffy. It can take several weeks before the snow even reaches the ocean floor. The bigger the marine snow the quicker it moves. It has been shown that pathogens and microorganisms also live on marine snow. Scientist study marine flow by using sediment traps. Traps are set up at 200 meters down. It is shown that about 815 million tons of carbon hits the ocean floor every year.
What does Marine snow do- This snow is a source of food for deep sea creatures. It is an important source of energy for sea life. 95 percent of the particles are eaten. The NAOO discovered that there is more than enough carbon and nitrogen to feed the sea creatures. Vampire squid find marine snow by a special adaption that helps locate the falling snow. The snow is also good for small animals like eel larvae until they are four months. What is not used turns into muddy ooze that cover the ocean floor. Marine snow also helps the understanding of mitigating global warming. If the snow wasn’t filtered through the ocean carbon would stay in the atmosphere and cause temperatures to rise.
Sources
NAOO. "Marine Snow Is a Shower of Organic Material Falling from Upper Waters to the Deep Ocean." What Is Marine Snow? N.p., 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/marinesnow.html>.
Lippsett, Lonny. "Checking the Forecast for 'Marine Snow'" : Oceanus Magazine. N.p., 10 June 2005. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/checking-the-forecast-for-marine-snow>.
Smithsionian National Museum of History. "Marine Snow: A Staple of the Deep."Smithsonian Ocean Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2013. <http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-news/marine-snow-staple-deep>.
Antonia Curtis